Outside influences on their lives
by Loz06
Summary: Neil.Andrea. Sequel to 'Trying to have a life together'. A court case that both Phillipa and Neil are involved in creates tension between the two, in the middle of celebrations of Andrea’s birthday. Neil starts to wonder how long he can go on like this fo
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Outside influences on their lives

**Author**: Loz

**E-Mail**: loz06(at)yahoo(dot)com

**Rating**: T

**Category**: Neil/Andrea…All Neil/Andrea

**Series**: Story number fifteen. What follows are titles and story ID numbers:

(1) After he's at her door – 2486705

(2) When the mighty fall – 2506192

(3) While his wife's away – 2525486

(4) While they're away – 2543010

(5) When love's not working – 2543013

(6) Boundaries when broken up - 2562611

(7) What happens on the train – 2579012

(8) When they work together – 2595808

(9) When she wants him back – 2598312

(10) When they're stuck together – 2611364

(11) When they're back together – 2619492

(12) Life almost in balance – 2630121

(13) Life under pressure – 2666280

(14) Trying to have a life together – 2699235

(15) Outside influences on their lives - 2704730

**Spoilers**: So minor it shouldn't ruffle any feathers.

**Archive **(if applicable): www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net.

**Feedback**: The good, the bad and the very ugly it's all appreciated.

**Summary**: A court case that both Philippa and Neil are involved in creates tension between the two, in the middle of celebrations of Andrea's birthday. Neil starts to wonder how long he can go on like this for.

**Authors' notes**: I totally couldn't wait to post another section, I've been typing madly and I've so missed this, totally addicted as someone recently said.

**Thanks**: Cheers to aerialplug and Lornz for the feedback, to Fabio here's another Xmas present for you and many more to come, to Meegan I totally agree with you about the golf lessons. To Gem6 enjoy your fluff now, I haven't written things in the future so rosy.

**Disclaimers**: Blah, blah, blah - we all know how it goes! Don't disclaimers get boring after a while and I'm tired of trying to be creative. I obviously aren't associated with the show cause you don't see such sun shine and blue sky happiness as you do in my fics…well for a little longer. Ooo a future story spoiler in the disclaimer.

* * *

**Position vacant: **The Bill advice.

**Qualifications**: Someone who is up-to-date with current UK episodes.

**Role/Job**: Someone who can tell me about what happened with/between Suzie and Neil… (There never has been or will be anything between me and Suzie.)

**Applications**: To loz06(at)yahoo(dot)com. Please don't be shy I really need to know so I can keep on writing with this story. Thanks in advance.

* * *

Neil doesn't notice her at first, taking careful steps, with his eyes reading from a cream folder.

"Hello." Andrea says causing him to jump a little.

"You scared me." Neil closes the door; interest lost in the work, Andrea does her best golf swing as he drops the work on his desk.

"I've been practicing." She laughs sitting in the visitor's chair.

"Tomorrow?"

"Free?"

"Couldn't think of anything better to do with my Saturday," Neil smiles over at her, a sharp knock on the door makes his smile fade.

"Good takes care of two out of three." Jack Meadows doesn't wait to be invited, doesn't have too. Andrea stands as if it might lessen any suspicions the DCI might have just acquired of impropriety. "Brian Carter just hired new counsel."

"Who?" Neil and Andrea ask simultaneously.

"One P. Pearson," Andrea can't find recognition of who the name is, but its obvious Neil knows as he sighs heavily.

"Thanks Guv," Andrea doesn't look at Neil till Jack Meadows has closed the door behind him.

"Damn." Neil curses, features hardening he stares out the window.

"It's alright we've got our evidence." Andrea tries to compensate, Neil turns back to her shaking his head.

"It's one step up from circumstantial; the DPS had to be really convinced to progress with the case, Philippa will drive a lorry right through the gaps." The penny falls for Andrea, realising why Neil is annoyed, it's the stuff of TV dramas. Just for a moment she ponders why Philippa would use her maiden name.

"Can she take a case you're involved with?"

"I'm not, this is Sam's case and I'm her DI. If that rule applied Philippa would never be able to touch anything that came from this station. Also you'd be surprised how many people don't realise the association because she uses her maiden name."

"You want to cancel tomorrow?" Andrea surprises herself at just how understanding she is.

"No, it's the last thing I want to do." Neil sits in his chair and forward across the desk to her. "Six at yours?"

"Eight thirty at mine."

"Much better," he says and Andrea laughs.

* * *

"Philippa!" Neil's not proud of yelling the moment he walks through the door.

"Philippa!" It's not necessary he thinks as he puts down his keys, she'll be in the office.

"I'm not talking to you when you're like this Neil." She doesn't put her head up.

"Well that's both convenient and unusual, a lawyer gagging themselves." Anger pumps through his veins.

"Is there any point in having this conversation?" Finally she stops work.

"We said we'd never do this, go head to head at work."

"You've been doing a lot of that lately – doing things you said you wouldn't." Neil's heart beats faster as he opens a potential bomb.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Whatever you like," across the hall Colin's bedroom door slams and the music goes up.

"He's a murderer Philippa, killed a sixteen year old boy and a twelve year old girl because their ball was kicked into his yard one too many times. He's sick; he needs to go to an institution."

"You've got this one wrong; I've seen your evidence. You know all your soldiers aren't in line." Within the station to his colleagues he'd say touché.

"The money goes to charity or something." Neil seethes.

Philippa laughs amazed. "You've never worried about where the money comes from before.

Neil glares unwilling to be drawn into a debate over the request.

"It's a pro bono case." Philippa tells him like he asked for the time.

"Pro bono!" Neil roars. "This is not some hard done by family from an estate."

"Would you feel different if it was?"

"It's because its high profile isn't it?" Neil's words drip with cynicism.

"You're a hypocrite Neil, you don't think I and everyone else I know, knows you've got your eye on Jack Meadows job, next stop after that look out Adam Okaro."

"I'm not defending psychotic murderers on the way up."

"No, you're just fitting them up." It's a low blow but before he can reply she cuts him off. "Everyone has the right to counsel and it's my job to do my best to defend Brian Carter, regardless of his colour, gender, age or crime."

A hostile calm descends as Neil stews and Philippa goes back to work.

"You've got a week to get used to the idea, I'm asking for an extension on Monday because I've just taken over the case."

Neil reminds himself to tell Andrea this fact the next morning.

* * *

Neil watches as Andrea lines the club up to the ball with all the concentration of a school project. She swings and misses the ball entirely and although she dissolves into laughter he just can't find it in him.

It doesn't go unnoticed by her. "You're thinking he's going to walk aren't you?"

"No, I was thinking we're going to be banned from coming here if you keep hacking up the course." But it's not convincing and after a moment he tries again. "We have the best case possible."

Golf isn't having its desired effect today, Neil's head is still at the station, Andrea pulls up her tee and ball dropping them into the bag before swinging it over her shoulder.

"Try not to think about it." She steps off after his ball.

"Are you going to be alright on Monday with Philippa questioning you?" Although he follows her it's clear he's still lost in thought.

"You mean am I going to break down and confess all…no." It gives Neil one less thing to worry about.

* * *

Jack Meadows waits outside the courtroom, unaccustomed to being still he paces slowly in front of a bench until Neil slips out of the double doors.

"What happened?" He immediately latches on not noticing as the rest of the courtroom starts to file out.

"The defence were given an extra week to prepare." It's as Philippa predicated.

"A week that's all?"

"The case has attracted a lot of media attention, there's public pressure." Both men glare as the editor of the Daily News saunters out through the double doors. "Where does he get his information?" Neil mutters to himself more than anything.

"I've got to get back." Meadows' indicates and Neil searches for Andrea in the crowd of others who thought they might have been called to the stand today.

He spots her alone but she shakes her head as he steps towards her, he follows her eyes that are on Philippa. He misses the opportunity to talk to her in the car when Sam needs a lift, left high and dry by the DCI.

"What did Philippa say?" At the station Andrea steps out of the car, door still open she looks over the roof back to the lot gates. Sam had been keen to get back to her desk.

"We're not talking." Neil says still in the driver's seat with his door open. The words strangely provide no hope.

"You shouldn't talk to me at court." His sigh tells her he knows.

"See you Wednesday night?" Andrea closes the car door, wondering why she's not happier about the prospect.

"Yeah."

* * *

"Food's here." Andrea calls as she closes the front door to her flat with her foot.

"Mmm-Hmm," Neil says still surround by work. In the kitchen she puts her meal on a plate.

"Where's mine?" Neil asks looking up finally when she sits down with her food.

"Something's got to get you away from that work." Andrea grins knowing she's got him.

"Are you ready for Monday?" Andrea sits back into the depth of her chair as he calls from the kitchen; she knows she shouldn't have been scanning the documents in front of her just then.

"I haven't been given much prep time."

"You're o.k. but?" Something in his voice urges her to lie, like he couldn't handle another weak point in their case.

"I guess." Although she feels uneasy.

"It's not the first time you've been to court?"

"No." Andrea puts her fork down and stares across the room.

"Andrea?" She shakes herself out of the stare, picking up her fork again her eyes cross a scrap of paper on top of a pile of folders.

"Honestly everything's fine." She smiles to reassure him and reaches for the paper. Folding it open she notes his handwriting and the subject.

_Things to get for Andrea's birthday_

1 _Biggest diamond in the world_

2 _100 year lease on an island_

3 _Fast car_

4 _Private jet_

"What's this?" Andrea holds the paper between her index and middle fingers. Neil plays cool despite her look that says, 'you're up to something.'

"Just a list," he says with all the enthusiasm for paying tax.

Andrea turns the paper over deciding to make her own list. _What Andrea wants for her birthday – me for a whole day._ In her outstretched arm she holds the note in front of him.

"That's too easy." Finally his attention is taken from the work he's doing. Andrea leans over the desk and his work, standing on her feet.

"It's what I want." She whispers and takes the opportunity to tilt his chin up and kiss him.

"Then it's done." He says lips inches from hers but she's unconvinced, sitting back into her chair.

"That was too easy, you've got something planned, the list was just a sneaky way of getting me to tell you what I want."

"I'm not saying anything." Neil laughs her off. "Your copper suspicion is still on duty."

"You know I'm rostered on that day?"

"Uh-huh. I'm working too." Andrea smiles knowing she won't get anything out of him. She feels a little sad knowing this will be a two person party; such is the nature of their relationship.

* * *

"There better be lots of surprise witnesses and twists and turns from the prosecution or we're not going to get this one." Neil pulls the station pool car into a car park at the courthouse. Andrea stares at the back entrance doors, next to her Neil protests at the pain that comes as he attempts to get out of the car.

"You're not sixteen anymore." Andrea says absently.

"Indoor cricket Thursday night, golf Saturday and last night." He recounts their time together.

"You're talking about our sex life when I have to go in and face your wife today?" Andrea doesn't know whether she sounds serious or light-hearted.

"You'll be fine." Neil wishes as she gets out of the car.

Inside the courtroom from the public gallery, Neil watches as Andrea holds her own with the police prosecutor, his shifts uncomfortably as the prosecutor indicates he's done questioning Andrea. All morning his eyes have bored into the back of Brian Carter's head, he soon has an ugly distraction.

Philippa starts politely enough but she soon begins to up the ante and apply pressure. Neil changes the legs he has crossed as Andrea starts to falter. She asks Philippa to repeat questions, her answers are punctuated with large silences and for the first time she doubts herself and her actions. The confidence evaporates from her voice and she looks to the prosecution in desperation. Neil can't meet her eyes, it's too painful. When his phone vibrates in his pocket and he leaves the courtroom, Andrea and her evidence are in tatters.

Neil sees her come out of the courtroom but with Jack asking for an update in his ear, he can't call her name as she walks remarkably calmly to the ladies toilets. After being creative with the truth he snaps his phone closed wanting nothing more than to go to her, frustrated he knows he can't.

The doors push open again, this time everyone pours out, checking his watch he realises it's the midday recess. People don't gather for long, heading down the street to the nearby cafes. He catches Philippa's eyes, anger painted on his features, he's up for a fight. As she approaches he steps into a quiet section of the corridor knowing she'll follow him.

"You don't look happy." Neil's surprised it's phrased as a simple statement.

"You tore her apart, made her question why she didn't have a record of every sneeze and scratch."

"I was doing my job; your case has man sized holes in it."

"You didn't have to take it as far as you did, she was down and you just kept on…" Neil sighs feeling everything is out of his control.

"Are you going to be like this when Samantha Nixon gets on the stand or is this little show just for PC Dunbar?" Cooler heads no longer prevail. Neil commits the comment to memory.

"Of course I am, but Samantha has been to court more times than PC Dunbar, she won't let you do what you just did in there."

"We shouldn't even be talking about this, there's an element of conflict here." Finally she realises she's very close to not being eligible to take the case. "You're skating close to trying to influence me, but your PC was unprepared, unclear and she didn't know her stuff." Philippa drives her point home.

"She's a probationer." Neil clutches for straws.

"Well if that's the future I can only hope for your sake that every criminal confesses because I won't be loosing many cases."

Andrea clears her throat having heard the whole argument, husband and wife too caught up to hear her exit the ladies. Philippa transfers her glare from Neil to Andrea, Neil can really only look shocked and angry, sympathy and concern would be marital suicide. Andrea hasn't mustered her anger yet – still gutted by the accusations about her.

Later she realises this might by what it would be like if Philippa ever found out about the affair, a Mexican standoff with one angry party, another remorseful and a husband and lover torn.

Philippa stalks off; her only words the sharp tapping of her heels. Andrea waits till she's gone and her anger has built, she can't look at Neil – she decides to leave.

"Andrea." Neil catches her hand but she pulls violently away from him, desperation in his voice not to lose her. Turning she shows him the tears that have pooled along her eyelids, her tone leaves him in no doubt about her mood.

"Don't. Neil." She too stalks out of the courthouse. The last thing she wants to hear is Neil pouring bucket loads of sugar on his wife's words, in affect defending her. She's also angry he can't show his true emotion and support her when she needs it.

Gina Gold sends her straight home when she gets back to the station, she doesn't have to look twice to know Andrea won't be effective on the street that afternoon.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

The door slamming registers somewhere in the back of her head, as does her name being called. None of it pulls her away from where she stares into the mirror; the reflection doesn't register nor do any thoughts, she just needs to be blank.

"I'm sorry." Neil says but apologising for his wife only lessens her willingness to talk to him. "It wasn't about you." For the first time Andrea looks at Neil in the mirror, laughing incredulously.

"It was about me, it was all about me, it was meant to hurt me and give her the psychological edge for the next time we meet in court."

"How could she know you were going to hear her?" Neil question legitimately.

"Don't defend her!" Andrea yells. She takes her eyes off his reflection.

"There's no bigger psychological advantage than the fact you know I love you, not her." It doesn't sway her.

"We're not talking about that." Andrea turns and crosses her arms.

"It's about me, it was meant to be a hit against me professionally because this case is crap. We've been arguing about this case, arguing full stop."

"You didn't defend me at all; all you could muster was that I was a probationer. You could have defended me professionally without it being personal."

"It wouldn't have mattered what I said." Neil replies regretfully.

"It would have to me." Andrea's voice is sad as it fades.

"You weren't properly prepared; you should have had someone go through defence type questions with you."

"It's not about that," for the first time she feel vulnerable with what she wants to say to him. "I look at your wife and she wipes the floor with me, I can't hold a candle to her and I wonder what you are doing here with me."

The admission has him stepping quickly into her; he spins her around from looking at the mirror and holds her so tight she can't get away, one arm across her back, the other hand on the back of her head.

"I don't want you to be like Philippa ever, in any way at all." He cups her face in his hands making sure she's looking at him and listening, Andrea believes him and she lets go of some the feelings of inadequacy she has. Neil takes her back into his arms.

* * *

Andrea drops her forehead till it touches the cool exterior of her locker; she's had a week of sympathetic looks and well meaning colleagues commiserating her…if only they knew the full extent of the story. 

The door squeaks open and Andrea lifts her head to see Neil holding the door open enough to see in. He lets it fall against his right shoulder, the left leaning against the door frame.

"Samantha did well." Andrea had decided to do just enough unpaid overtime to bypass the change of shift, going to court always puts her behind.

"Thank God because if one more person commiserates me on the case before the jury has returned a verdict." She turns around to lean her back against the locker.

"They're just trying to be supportive." Andrea pauses and wonders if she should tell him what the relief has been talking about.

"Philippa hasn't got many friends in uniform." Neil's reaction is neutral.

"Same as any lawyer defending a suspected murderer, cops whinge, it's what we do best behind solving crimes and we always put anyone who doesn't find the body and have to deal with the friends and relatives a distant second." Andrea's not sure if it's the answer she wanted, she still has some anger from the courtroom and she'd have liked to hear him say something ugly. "Come one I'll take you out to eat."

Neil steps into the locker room, the door squeaking closed behind him.

"No, I'm getting fat." Andrea closes her eyes.

Neil laughs, "Where, in your big toe?" He stands in front of her and Andrea shifts her weight onto him, she needs someone else to handle things. "More of you to hold," his arms slip around her.

"Till you can't put your arms around me," Andrea's happy just to stand leaning against him, arms loosely around his neck. "Can we just have a night in?"

"Sure."

"And sleep in tomorrow?" She doesn't think she could lift a club let alone carry a golf bag around eighteen holes.

"Yes!" He near cheers and it brings a smile to her face.

* * *

Coffee and eggs assault Neil's senses Sunday; the bed next to him is empty, he suspects Philippa spent the night in the study, sleeping on top of her work. He doesn't think they've spoken since the incident with Andrea. 

Shuffling downstairs he follows the scent, a quick check confirms him suspicions of Philippa and in the kitchen he finds the chef responsible for the scents.

A tray rest on the table with eggs, toasts and coffee, the morning newspaper and a flower plucked from their perfectly manicured garden.

Neil reaches for the paper and opens it, the front page has an article on the Carter case but there's nothing Bruce Malcolm couldn't have discovered from sitting in the court room, the sink piled with cooking implements that haven't been used in a long time.

"Hey, that's for mum." Colin protests.

"Where's mine then?" Neil kids.

"You weren't working all last night on a case you're doing for free." It makes Neil stop and think and he's not sure if resilience is the right word but through all the hours Philippa's not home, all the hours she's not there for Colin, he can still forgive her because he recognises the importance of her job. It really doesn't matter why, Neil's still proud.

"Where were you Friday night?" Neil stays cool, attention on the newspaper.

"I had to work, we had an obbo running." He hates lying and for a minute as he checks Colin discreetly over the top of the newspaper he thinks maybe his son can see through the lie.

"There are parent-teacher interviews Tuesday night." Colin says after a pause. Neil folds the paper up and puts it back on the tray. "Mum can't go." Neil doesn't take the opportunity to mentally criticise his wife.

"I'll be there if you want me to be."

"Yeah," Colin sits next to him, the breakfast quickly cooling.

"I hope you took a percentage of Bradley's mark and teachers comments." Neil jokes and Colin laughs modestly.

"You better get that upstairs before it cools." Neil sits for a minute before following Colin to the study.

At the door his features harden as he watches Philippa push aside her work to make space for the tray. She pours milk and sugar into the coffee, for the first time seeing Neil's look.

"Don't bother Neil; I'm not in the mood." Philippa glances across at him, the only noise the tiny ting of the teaspoon against the cup. Neil looks across to Colin who looks crestfallen; he pushes past Neil out of the room as Neil begins to protest his leaving.

"The least you could have done was to thank him for the breakfast before you jump to conclusions about me, he only did it because he's seen you working hard and he respects it, even though he might no like it."

Neil finds Colin on his bed, the headphones that are almost a permanent feature of his; drown out the world with the music they deliver. Neil sits next to him, lifting the headphones off without objection.

"You're mum's not the bad guy here I am, we've been fighting over this case we're involved in."

"I know." The admission almost breaks Neil's heart; he'd much prefer to shelter Colin.

"Go see her, she really appreciates the breakfast." When his teenage son is gone, Neil wonders how much longer he can carry on like this.

* * *

"Have a good day tomorrow." Yvonne wishes as Andrea crosses paths with her in the corridor mid-shift Wednesday. 

"Whoa." Andrea stops her. "What do you know and how do you know?"

"It's all over the station." Yvonne says like it's the most normal thing in the world.

"What is?"

"It's your birthday Thursday."

"How did you find out?"

"Gina Gold told me." It explains everything, Andrea's personnel file has her birthday in it, but such a fuss is rarely made. At least she knows now that no information is going around about her and Neil whom she suspects is planning something for Thursday.

"Does this have anything to do with the fact I've been taken off tomorrow's shift and I'm here today?" Andrea suspects Neil had something to do with that as well; it's the last thing she needs everyone knowing, there's still some fear about that inside of her.

"Maybe," before Andrea can stop her, Yvonne joins a conversation with Lance and Honey. Andrea knows she'll get everything out of her at refs.

"O.k. spill," a captive audience, Andrea sits across from Yvonne who's alone.

"Spill what?"

"Thursday," Andrea says knowing Yvonne knows what she's talking about.

"I was going to set you up on a blind date on Thursday night."

"No blind dates." Andrea jumps in forgetting the original purpose of the conversation. "I'm swearing off relationships until the next millennium."

"Who said anything about a relationship, just date him and have fun." Yvonne laughs at the relationship suggestion.

"Oh great advice from the woman who won't got out with the dishy nurse," Andrea reminds her.

"Careful, I am your sergeant, don't change the topic. You've got to get back on the saddle."

"No, no I don't, I'm quite happy being gun shy or horse shy, whatever." Andrea affirms.

"Your loss," Yvonne drains the last of her tea from the cup and leaves; only after Andrea gets a radio call does she remember what she wanted to ask Yvonne about.

* * *

Andrea bolts straight up in bed, panic gripping her when she sees the clock. Late is the only word that runs through her head as she pushes aside the bedclothes and nearly runs into Neil on her way to the shower. 

"Where are you going?" He asks at her flustered state.

"It's Thursday." She remembers her body instantly relaxing. She sees the tray he's carrying with breakfast, he nods towards the bed.

"Happy birthday," Neil wishes resting the tray in front of her and kissing her briefly.

"How did you organise this?" Andrea grabs for some toast, spreading it with jam.

"Put the bread in, push the toaster down."

"No, today," Andrea laughs.

"I rang Sun Hill, said I was your father and I was coming to town as a surprise for your birthday. I asked if you were working Thursday and could it possibly be changed. I caught Gina Gold with her hardened exterior down." Andrea chews her toast, mouth open in amazement.

"You did what?" She manages. "She believed you?"

"I figured no one at work has ever spoken to your father and I was very convincing." He adds a bit of self praise.

"Do the accent." Andrea smiles over the cup of coffee she lifts to her lips.

"No, it was horrible." Neil laughs at himself.

"Come on it's my birthday." Andrea pushes but then Neil notices her smile drop. "He'll call today." A slight smile comes back but she still looks sad.

"Does he know about us?" Breakfast is forgotten.

"I couldn't stand the look of disappointment in his eyes, his head shaking, his words 'I raised you better than that.'"

"Maybe if he knew you loved me?"

"No, he'd love you…kind, successful, all the things that make you worthy of his only daughter, but it'd all be erased in a moment if he knew you were married." It strikes Neil that she doesn't rebel or question her father's attitude, accepting without question that in his eyes she's doing wrong, no matter how happy she is. A blind devotion she applies also to Neil.

"It might be necessary for him to know one day." Neil sees no glimmer from his words that speak of a future only with her.

"When that time comes he will." Neil asks himself if she knows she said 'when' but lets the conversation die, finishing breakfast on safer topics.

"What are we doing today?" Neil pushes aside the tray realising he can't let the sombre mood continue.

Andrea takes him by surprise kissing him hard for a moment, he knows the kiss, it's the one that she starts something with. So he's unsurprised when she pulls him down onto the bed with her, legs extending and tangling with his. As much as he'd like to spend a decadent day in bed with her he knows she has things she wants to do.

"Mmm-Hmm." His lips reluctantly sever connection from hers. "We've got plenty of time for that." Neil brushes her hair back although it doesn't obstruct her face, watching until there's some indication she agrees. "Your father would be proud of you, married man or not."

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

"You look beautiful." Neil compliments as he holds out his hand to help her out of the car.

"Thank you." He notices the way her legs are accentuated by her high shoes, her calf muscles working hard. The red dress sits comfortably on each curve while the strapless top shows off her neck and shoulders. It all laughs at the simple silver chain with the heart pendant that he gave her but he appreciates the fact she's wearing it.

The restaurant reminds him of the one they danced at, the only sounds the swish of waiters, a quiet murmur and the chink of fine china against polished silver cutlery.

Their coats are taken and they're seated immediately, the table covered in a pressed white cloth. In his pocket her gift burns a hole but he knows this is not the night to rush but enjoy.

"You didn't want to do anything else today?" Neil asks and Andrea looks up from the menu and smiles.

"I haven't been horse riding since I came to London." He can see she's recalling times long past.

"When you were younger?" His words are as if she posed a question.

"My uncle had some land, Fire and Grace was her racing name, to me she was Joley, had a white patch right here." Andrea reaches across the small table to run a gentle finger down the bridge of Neil's nose from between his eyes.

"Fire and Grace, sounds like you." Andrea smiles her top teeth resting on her bottom lip, she agrees.

"You," Andrea laughs with the word. "You weren't bought up around horses."

"No, no I wasn't." Neil laughs with her.

"Your knuckles were white the whole time and you looked like you were in front of a firing squad."

"It's a control thing; horse weighing almost a tonne can get spooked at any time and flee. I feel the same about flying – no control." Neil explains.

"What about the drunk who crashes into the car you're in control of?"

"Never thought of that," Andrea comes out laughing politely, more in reaction to the way he says he never thought of it.

The waiter comes back and takes their order, Andrea barely having glanced at the menu full of words she doesn't recognise, she picks the chicken accepting that what comes out with it will be a surprise. It would have been the same for any other meat or seafood on the list.

"Only when we got to that little café did you relax." She smiles remembering.

"That guy didn't know what anything outside of a flat white and a long black was." Neil adds.

"It was so quiet and pretty." Andrea sighs. "And probably boring," she finally admits.

"Are you sure there wasn't something…" He starts but Andrea cuts him off.

"You don't…" She starts and then changes her words. "I don't get to…just be with you very often. You go home to someone, say hello how was your day, you do the mundane and boring things…I don't get that very often, my time with you is short and precious, over night for a few nights, half a day on Saturday sometimes Sunday – so to have a day like this is worth twice all the special things."

"Philippa and I don't say hello how was your day anymore, we don't do the mundane things, I do more of it with you. I'm trying; I hope you're not unhappy."

"No, not at all," Andrea laughs off, for reassurance she reaches across the table and covers his hand with hers. "It's why I like golf with you so much, it's just being with you, doing something ordinary together, like couples do." Once again the present burns a hole in his pocket; he leaves it there, deciding to give it to her before dessert.

Shortly after the entrée plates are taken away, Andrea laughs again. Neil follows her look across the room but she shakes her head, its misdirection.

"I'm going to need a story for tomorrow; people are going to ask me about my day with my dad."

"So tell them." Neil offers and Andrea shoots him a that-wouldn't-be-appropriate look.

"Not everything we did." He rolls his eye and reaches into his pocket. As they continue to talk he wills their main meals to come faster.

"Hey." Neil looks up across at Andrea as the plates from their main meals are taken. "I'm just going to the ladies."

He smiles as if to say o.k. and touches the box in his pocket again, watching till she's out of sight. He turns looking for the waiter and asks that their desserts not be bought out for ten minutes after Andrea gets back to their table. His leg jigs nervously on the balls of his feet, he drops a hand to his knee trying to make it stop. It doesn't, especially when she smiles at him.

He knows his nerves are showing when she looks oddly at him as she takes her chair again. Touching the box for one last time, almost superstitiously, he steps out of his chair and over to her and kisses her temple.

"Happy birthday," the box slides easily out of his pocket, although the bow is bent slightly it well and truly has her attention.

"Thank you." Her lips meet his this time, in a kiss that will be too tame for later tonight.

Andrea doesn't open it until he's seated again and the time it takes for her to open the bow and the box eats at him. It's a gamble at best he told himself, once bitten twice shy but he wanted her to have something nice, something he bought, something material that says to him she's mine. He knows its cave man but its part of the reason men buy women jewellery.

Neil holds his breath as a reflex as she opens the lid.

For a second there's nothing, then surprise and finally admiration. She wants to ask him if it's an engagement ring but she chides herself realising it's not the right style and they're well past those games.

Andrea looks across at Neil realising he's about to drop his bundle because she hasn't said anything.

"It's beautiful." She can see the life breathe back into him.

"You will wear it?" His hesitation is understandable.

"I'll never take it off." Neil's not sure if he should read anything into the fact she puts it on the middle finger of her left hand – one step away.

"Thank you." Andrea leans across the table, kissing him briefly her eyes never leaving his. "It's too much." And she can't help the thought that parades through the back of her mind, how did he pay for it?

Neil relaxes further hoping the chocolate cake for two with her name on it and candles goes down equally as well.

* * *

The walls of her bedroom are painted midnight black, a tiny wedge of light escaping through a gap in the curtains, a brief moment of joy in an otherwise swarthy canvas. Neil lies dozing, allowing his eyes to close only until he feels himself drift, they then flick open. Spooning behind him he listens to her rhythmical breathing, her naked touch not going unnoticed by him either. 

A flash of light crosses his eyelids and instantly he opens them. The rouge glimmer of light dances across the walls, illuminating their true colour. Neil turns his head discovering the source of the light, rolling over to watch.

The ring rests comfortably on her left hand which moves so it may catch the wedge of light. As romantic as he may want it to be, it's probably not the moon but a streetlight giving life to the gems in the white gold setting.

He watches her play for a moment then links his hand in hers – bringing both down to rest on her side.

"I love it, thank you." Although her features are muted in the dark he can still see her smile.

"I love you."

"I love you too." In the dark she finds his lips, brushing her fingers over them. "How am I going to explain this?" For once her voice is light whilst on the subject of lying. Neil says nothing at first feathering light kisses on her neck.

"I don't know, you'll think of something." He pushes the bedclothes down and rolls her on top of him. "Family heirloom."

Her lips are much to busy to reply.

* * *

"Are you going to leave it on?" Neil looks across at Andrea, the car stopped a few blocks from the station. 

"Just for today, I've got to show it off." She smiles but he knows she'll hate the fact she can't tell everyone the real story.

"Have a good day." Neil wishes as she steps out of the car.

* * *

"Oh my God," Yvonne grabs Andrea's left hand outside the small supermarket. She inspects the ring with an open mouth. 

"Birthday present from my family."

"Oh come on." Yvonne says disbelieving. "You're seeing him again, what was it an apology come birthday gift?"

"Not as long as his wife is still unstable, no inscription, see." Andrea slides the ring off her finger showing her friend the inside of the band.

"Don't you think it's a little weird your family buying you a ring?" Yvonne has a point and the words are covering the fact she doesn't believe Andrea.

"I pointed it out, that weekend I went home, you know when you thought I was away with someone." Andrea secretly congratulates herself on the lie. "I saw it in the jeweller's window; it was love at first sight." Andrea laughs.

Yvonne lets Andrea keep going, seemingly half convinced of her story. "Still looks like an engagement ring without the diamonds to me."

"Better get inside." Andrea nods to the supermarket that rang about shoplifters. Yvonne needs to be distracted from running with the engagement thought. Andrea looks down at her ring, telling herself it looks nothing like an engagement ring.

* * *

Neil smiles as he watches Andrea subconsciously turn her ring around her finger like a newlywed unaccustomed to having their finger sheathed in the cool metal. 

She stops telling him about the drugs case and follows his eyes to her hand, seeing herself twisting the white gold band. It had been almost a week since Andrea had gotten it and she was still constantly aware that she was wearing it. A reminder of Neil she took off infrequently, part of her hoped the feeling would never fail, she also suspected some of him knew it'd have this affect on her and that was part of the appeal of her having it.

"I didn't think you'd go back down the jewellery…way." The conversation turns personal.

"Once bitten, twice shy did occur to me." As soon as he answers he can see the next question on her face, one she doesn't want to ask. "I had it put away after that Saturday we painted my flat, six weeks of small payments no one will miss."

Andrea goes back to twisting the ring, not wanting to say anything along the lines of good, like he needs her approval. His phone rings jolting her back to what she came to talk to him about. The conversation is short and terse, the DCI obviously on the other end.

"You busy right now?" Neil says as the phone goes down.

"Other than telling you about the drugs case, the suspect that needs to be caught, the streets that need to be cleaned up and oh then there's the paperwork. So not right now, no." She says like it can all be done in five minutes, a smile on her face contradicts the factiousness.

"The jury's about to come back," Neil stands putting on his jacket.

"After a two week trial and a day deliberating," Andrea's stomach lurches and her new ring tightens.

"Could be a good thing."

"Philippa will be there and I really don't want to revisit that disaster again." Her head shakes in the negative, watching him walk to the door.

"O.k.," his chin tips indicating for her to join him behind the door. Andrea puts a questioning look on her face; in front of the open blinds he takes her hand quickly pulling her up and into him.

"Oh that's what you meant." Andrea says pretending to finally understand the meaning of the chin tip. She grins and with her arms around his neck kisses him thoroughly.

"I'll call you." Neil says opening the office when they've composed themselves, he indicates for her to go first.

* * *

The jury haven't retuned from the deliberation room when Neil gets to the courtroom, Philippa is conversing with her client but his arrival doesn't go unnoticed by her. Neil watches his wife as he waits, looking and waiting for some feelings for her to arise, right now he's numb. 

In another five minutes, though it's not entirely her fault, the numbness turns to anger. He leaves the court without a word to anyone; he knows the questions will now start about what went wrong.

* * *

Andrea says a silent plea that the jury returned a guilty verdict when her phone starts to ring. Her hand rests over the phone in the black bag on her belt; she presses the button to accept the call as she lifts the phone to her ear. 

"Time to meet again," Andrea doesn't visibly curse herself for not checking the number before answering, there are too many friends having refs at her table. She moves to a corner of the canteen, unsure of how she's going to explain her unusual behaviour in relation to the call.

"When?" Knowing he gave her a life, she doesn't think defiance would be wise.

"Tonight, six."

"Not at mine." Andrea jumps in quickly, she doesn't know Neil's plans and she can't take the risk.

"The park a block from yours," Andrea's surprised he doesn't comment snidely. She agrees ending the call without parting pleasantries.

* * *

To be continued in the next story. Story ID - 2727112 


End file.
